Kassandra Jaramillo, 10, uses the new slide on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at Haight Park Playground in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The first recess of the new school year came with new ways to play for All Saints Catholic Academy’s students, who helped design a new Rockford Park District playground that’s a big part of their breaks from class.

The pre-kindergarten through eighth graders had their first chance Thursday to slide, swing and climb on the remodeled Haight Park Playground, 451 Lafayette Ave., in downtown.

“We use it daily at recess. … With a new playground it gives new life to the school, it gives new life to the kids,” said Jeremy Keessee, principal at All Saints, which is across the street from the playground at 409 N. First St. “They were excited to know that they go to choose what they play on and partake in.”

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Last year, students were presented with a variety of choices for equipment and got to vote for what they’d like to see by placing stickers next to the designs they preferred.

For seventh grader Sofia Carmona, 12, and eighth grader Nora Nielsen, 13, a new swingset was a must.

“We didn’t have one, we just had a tire swing before, and there wasn’t really enough room for everyone to be on the tire swing,” Nielsen said. “There’s more things to do, so we’ll have different opportunities to play on different things.”

Allyson Franckowiak, 11, climbs the monkey bars on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the newly remodeled Haight Park Playground in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

The Rockford Park District said its decision to renovate the playground was part of its ongoing priority to invest in neighborhood parks, something residents had called for prioritizing in a series of surveys.

The previous playground was built in 1993 and it was past its 15- to 20-year lifecycle, according to the park district.

The equipment is often used by the school for recess, but it’s also open for anyone in the public to use. The equipment has aspects designed for ages 2-5 and others meant for those ages 5-12.

Some of the playground pieces students wanted most included new swings, a climber and spinner. Additional site work was also completed and included a new concrete curb, new drainage system and new surfacing.

The overall cost of the project was roughly $85,000 and it’s being funded in part with the help of the Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors Young Professional Network. The group recently held a water battle to jump start fundraising efforts. The goal is to raise $10,000 total toward the playground.

Atzin Torres, 10, plays on the monkey bars on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, at the newly remodeled Haight Park Playground in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Chase Skerney, 11, looks up at his grip on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, while climbing on the new Haight Park Playground in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas